Gas burner igniter



July 25, J GR lNER ETAL GAS BURNER IGNITER Filed Nov. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

July 25, 1961 J. R. GREINER ETAL GAS BURNER IGNITER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 3, 1958 /Nl EN7'0R$.-

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c yfa wkmm United States Patent 2,993,534 GAS BURNER IGNITER John R. Greiner and Robert W. Eichorn, Marshalltown,

Iowa, assignors to Lennox Industries, Inc., a corporation of Iowa Filed Nov. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 771,417 Claims. (00158-115) This invention relates generally to improvements in the construction of elongated tubular gas burners, and more particularly to a novel cross-over ignition structure for multiple banks thereof.

In achieving gas furnace structures of extremely compact size with substantial heat output, it is of great importance to provide burner tubes capable of achieving a constant yet short flame height, and characterized by a uniformity of gas flow to produce instantaneous ignition, quiet burning and even heat transmission to the cooperating heat exchanger surfaces.

In multiple arrangements of burner tubes, and particularly where a substantial number of such tubes are disposed in immediately adjacent parallel relation, as is necessary for compact furnace structures of high heat output, substantially instantaneous yet quiet and nonhazardous ignition has not heretofore been achieved with compact and simple structures.

It is the primary object of this invention, therefore, to provide a combination of elongated gas burner tubes having a unitary lateral or cross-over igniter trough extending completely across all of the burner tubes for instantly spreading a pilot flame from a single pilot nozzle to each individual burner, whereby to achieve substantially instantaneous andquiet ignition in an extremely compact structural arrangement.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a gas furnace construction of the type to which the principles and features of the present invention may be applied;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top view of a bank of multiple burners employing the novel cross-over igniter trough of the present invention, and adapted to be inserted within the clam-shell heat exchangers of the unit of FIGURE 1, and within the vestibule panel pouch and burner inlet structure thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the three types of channel members which cooperate to define the cross-over igniter trough of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a complete burner table constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the burner tube of FIGURE 4, showing its mounted relation within the cooperating heat exchanger structure of a furnace unit in fragmentary cross section at one end thereof;

FIGURE 6 is an end view taken in the direction as indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top view, on an enlarged scale, of the structure of FIGURE 4 with the cross-over channel member removed.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, we have illustrated a gas-fired furnace 10 of a type which has been designed for substantial heat output in an extremely compact structural package. The

furnace 10 is primarily intended for mounting within a modular unit cabinet of fixed cross sectional size and low vertical height, particularly adapted for interchangeable vertical stacking arrangements of the type shown and described in detail in the co-pending application of John W. Norris, Serial No. 755,785, filed August 18, 1958, and having a common assignee with the present invention. The furnace 10 comprises a plurality of clam-shell heat exchangers 12 arranged in immediately adjacent side-by-side arrangement. Eight such heat exchangers have been illustrated, although it will be understood that smaller or larger numbers may be desired for particular design configurations. The heat exchangers 12 each communicate at their upper ends through flue outlets 16 of an interconnecting mounting plate or vestibule panel 14. A pouch wrapper 18 cooperates with the heat exchangers 12 to provide an access chamber for a corresponding plurality of burner tube inlets 20 for each of the heat exchangers 12.

In FIGURE 2 we have shown a bank of eight gas burner tubes 22 through 36 adapted to be inserted'into the clam-shell heat exchangers 12 through the pouch wrapper 18 and the corresponding burner tube inlets 20. It will be understood that the gas inlet ends of the burner tubes 22 through 36 will be disposed in cooperative relation with a gas supply manifold 38 (see FIGURE 1) which may be of any suitable type, such as that shown and described in our co-pending application Serial No. 764,576, filed October 1, 1958, and having a common assignee with the present invention.

In order to provide substantially instantaneous yet quiet and safe ignition of each of the multiple bank of burner tubes 22 through 36, we have provided a novel crossover igniter burner. Essentially, the igniter burner comprises a lateral gas transmitting trough communicating with all of the burners in opposite transverse directions from a single pilot nozzle. This trough is formed by means of three types of contiguously interconnected channel members fixedly secured to corresponding adjacent burner tubes. The three types of cross-over channel members are indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 at 40, 42 and 44, respectively.

The first type, 40, is of symmetrically balanced length extending equal distances at each side of the burner tube. The channel member 40 is employed on the tubes 22, 24, 30, 32 and 34 of FIGURE 2, for reasons which will hereinafter become apparent. The second type of channel members, 42, is similar to the type 40, but is shortened at its right-hand side so as to terminate substantially closer to the burner tube than at its left-hand side. Similarly, the third type, 44, is shortened at its left-hand side only. It is contemplated that the channel members 42 and 44 will cooperate to define a suitable pilot access space 46 between adjacent burners, such as 26 and 28 in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 3 of the drawing, identical or closely similar structural elements of each of the cross-over channel members 40, 42 and 44 have been designated with the same reference numerals with added letter designations A, B and C for the respective channel members. The balanced channel member 40 will be referred to as type A, the shortened-right channel member 42 will be referred to as type B and the shortened-left channel member 44 will be referred to as type C. Each of the channel member types A, B and C provides a back wall 50, a top wall 52, and a bottom wall 54, thereby defining a forwardly open-sided trough. The top walls 52 define a visor flange or shroud 56 which extends forwardly at a downward inclination. The enclosed space within the walls of the channel members defines a lateral gas igniter trough 58, as seen in FIGURE 5 of the drawing. Channel members 40 and 44 are formed with top and bottom coupling ears 60 and 62 so that adjacent channel members may be telescopically coupled together for aligned continuity of the trough 58 defined thereby. Each channel member is formed with a mounting slot 64 and a welding notch 66 so as to straddle and seat upon the top portions of the gas burners. The slot 64 is formed in the bottom wall 54 and between two sections 65 and 67 thereof.

When a plurality of burner tubes with the appropriate types of cross-over channels secured thereto are arranged and coupled in side-by-side parallel relation, as shown in FIGURE 2, gas and air admitted from the interior of each burner tube upwardly into its cross-over channel member will be laterally transmitted to the cross-over channels of the adjacent burner tubes. The trough 58, therefore, serves as an igniter burner when supplied with gas and air so as to instantly spread a pilot flame from the access space 46 to each of the individual burners 22 through 36, thereby enabling substantially instantaneous burner ignition without risk of substantial gas leakage between burners or non-uniformity of distribution therebetween for ignition purposes.

Each of the gas burners 22 through 36 is formed of a generally clam-shell type body 68 (see FIGURES 4 to 8) having integral lower opposed flanges defining a bottom web 70, which extends from a gas and air inlet end 72 of enlarged or bell shape to a closed forward end formed by opposed edge flanges defining a sealed end web 73. As best seen in FIGURE 6, the bell end 72 provides a pair of relatively rotatable and overlapping shutters 74 and 76 having a central gas inlet opening 78 extending therethrough for the introduction of a gas supply from the manifold 38 into the interior of the clam-shell body 68. Registering cut-out portions of the respective shutters 74 and 76 serve to cooperatingly define variable apertures 80 and 82 for the admission of air to the interior of the clam-shell body 68. A gas and air mixing and conducting chamber 84 is defined along the full length of each burner tube by its clam-shell body 68.

Top edge flanges or lips 86 and 88 of the clam-shell body 68 are in engaged, sealed relation adjacent the inlet or bell end 72 of the clam-shell body 68, as seen in FIG- URE 7, and are widely spaced apart along the major length portion of the clam-shell body 68. In this way, the spaced lips define an air and gas discharge slot into which the burner port-defining ribbon elements are adapted to be disposed, as best seen in FIGURES 7 and 8. Arcuately outwardly enlarged conduit portions 90 and 92 are defined by the spaced lips 86 and 88, as best seen in FIGURE 7.

A port-forming assemblyrof two elongated ribbons of ripple or corrugated form 98 and 102, and an intermediate flat strip 100, are adapted to be disposed as a sandwich assembly within and between the spaced body lips 86 and 88, as best seen in FIGURE 8. A plurality of cotter pins 104 are extended through the ears 96 to assist in maintaining the spaced lip portions 86 and 88 in tightly engaged relation against the port-forming ribbon assembly. The cotter pins 104 extend across the upper edges of the ribbon assembly so as to define an uppermost limiting position thereof within the spaced body lips 86 and 88. A plurality of. clip members 106 serve to provide resilient gripping means for supporting the port-forming ribbon assembly thereon in a fixed and predetermined lower position within the clam-shell body 68. In this way, a multiplicity of gas-air flow outlets are provided for discharge from the gas chamber 84 and combustion.

A pair of igniter orifices 120 and 122 provide restricted gas flow from the arcuate conduit portions 90 and 92 of the spaced body lips 86 and 88 into the crossover channel member thereabove, as best seen in FIG- URES 5, 7 and 8 of the drawing. In this way gas and air are transmitted to the igniter burner or trough 58 both from the ribbon ports therein and the supplementary orifices and 122. The ribbon assembly 98 to 102 is fixedly positioned by the cotter pins 104 and the clips 106 entirely below the spaced lips 86 and 88 and at a substantial depth within the clam-shell body 68 so as to extend downwardly into the gas chamber 84. This substantial height of the ribbon assembly relative to the height of the gas chamber 84 and its discharge space defined by the spaced lips 86 and 88 serves to increase the over-all tube pressure back-up to a higher level than has heretofore existed in ribbon type burners, thereby insuring a uniform and relatively high pressure along the full length of the gas chamber 84. In this way, a substantial gas flow is assured upwardly through the ribbon ports within the cross-over channel members and through the supplemental orifices 120 and 122, thereby enabling a rapid uniform lateral transmission of gas across the full extent of the trough 58 for substantially instantaneous but quiet combustion initiation. In addition, the particular mounting of the port-forming ribbon assembly 98 to 102 insures a tightly engaged sandwich with the spaced body lips 86 and 88, and eliminates gaps or irregularities which create risks of leakage and possible flash back.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gas furnace of the type including a plurality of elongated hollow burner tubes arranged in closely adjacent and longitudinally parallel relation, each tube defining an elongated chamber having an inlet adapted to receive a combustible gas and air mixture and having a multiplicity of longitudinally aligned outlet ports for discharge upwardly therefrom, the improvement in combination with said burner tubes comprising a unitary cross-over igniter trough transversely interconnecting said burner tubes, said trough comprising a plurality of elongated channel members each mounted transversely on a separate burner tube, said channel members including means for detachably coupling them together in longitudinally aligned continuity at the adjacent ends thereof, and each including enclosing walls overlying all of the plurality of outlet ports thereunder of the corresponding burner tube, and a bottom wall including two Wall sections each extending transversely from one side of the corresponding burner tube below the outlet port openings and adapted with a bottom wall section of the adjacent channel member to provide a bottom trough wall extending from said corresponding burner tube to the adjacent burner tube, said bottom wall having a mounting slot between said wall sections receiving the corresponding burner tube therein, said trough serving to receive from each burner tube the full discharge of said combustible mixture entirely upwardly from the outlet ports therein and eifect a lateral intercommunication of the burner tubes, whereby an ignition flame introduced at a single point along the length of said trough will be substantially instantaneously transmitted to effect substantially simultaneous and quiet ignition of all of said burner tubes.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said channel member coupling means comprise longitudinally extending coupling ears on one channel member adapted for telescopically receiving the adjacent channel member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said enclosing walls include a top wall terminating in a visor flange inclined downwardly toward said outlet ports.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet ports extend downwardly into said chamber for a substantial distance relative to the chamber, thereby providing a back pressure in said tubes for maintaining a substantial discharge flow of said combustible mixture through said outlet ports.

5. In a gas furnace of the type including a plurality of elongated hollow burner tubes arranged in closely adjacent and longitudinally parallel relation, each tube defining an elongated chamber having an inlet adapted to receive a combustible gas and air mixture and having a multiplicity of longitudinally aligned outlet ports for discharge upwardly therefrom, the improvement in combination with said burner tubes comprising a unitary cross-over igniter trough transversely interconnecting said burner tubes, said trough comprising a plurality of elongated channel members each mounted transversely on a separate burner tube, said channel members including means for detachably coupling them together in longitudinally aligned continuity at the adjacent ends thereof, and each including enclosing walls overlying all of the plurality of outlet ports thereunder of the corresponding burner tube, and a bottom wall including two Wall sections each extending transversely from one side of the corresponding burner tube below the outlet port openings and adapted with a bottom wall section of the adjacent channel member to provide a bottom trough wall extending from said corresponding burner tube to the adjacent burner tube, said bottom wall having a mounting slot between said wall sections receiving the corresponding burner tube therein; and additional outlet ports provided in said burner tubes on each side of said firstnamed outlet ports and within said trough for supplemental discharge of said combustible mixture thereinto; said trough serving to receive from each burner tube the full discharge of said combustible mixture entirely upwardly from the outlet ports therein and effect a lateral intercommunication of the burner tubes, whereby an ignition flame introduced at a single point along the length of said trough will be substantially instantaneously transmitted to efiect substantially simultaneous and quiet ignition of all of said burner tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,987 Graves Aug. 25, 1908 2,011,412 Masoner Aug. 13, 1935 2,210,069 Ensign Aug. 6, 1940 2,633,190 Kerwin et al Mar. 31, 1953 2,875,820 Nesbitt Mar. 3, 1959 

